(January 4, 2012, New York, NY) – Inspired by the outpouring of local and international attention around the recent one-year anniversary of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s passing, Q2 Music, WQXR’s online station for contemporary classical music, offers an in-depth exploration of Polish contemporary music. From 20th Century greats Lutoslawski, Penderecki and Gorecki, to lesser-known and emerging Polish composers such as Andrzej Krzanowski, Krzysztof Wołek, and Aleksander Nowak, “MUZYKA NOWA” will provide a week’s worth of wonderful Polish music.

“MUZYKA NOWA” will consist of blocks of contemporary Polish music, two 24-hour marathons of new music, live Warsaw Autumn Festival recordings, composer-curated shows, and a webcast of In Memoriam Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, recorded live at Greenwich Village’s (Le) Poisson Rouge, along with curated playlists.

Festival highlights include:

*An audio stream of In Memoriam Henryk Mikołaj Górecki recorded at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City in November, 2011 before a sold-out audience

* Two full-day, 24-hour marathons of contemporary classical Polish music

Muzyka Nowa is presented in association with the Polish Cultural Institute New York.

FULL PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE BELOW

In Memoriam Henryk Mikołaj Górecki: Recorded at (Le) Poisson RougeThursday, January 19 at 7pm,Encore play Saturday, January 21 at 1pmRecorded at New York City’s (Le) Poisson Rouge on November 8, 2011, this sold-out concert paying tribute to the 1-year anniversary of the iconic composer’s passing, featured compelling performances of String Quartet No. 2 with JACK Quartet and Kleines Requiem für Eine Polka, Op. 66 with Signal ensemble under the direction of Brad Lubman.

Polish Composers from 20th Century Masters to the Next GenerationWeekdays from noon-4 pmHost Nadia Sirota explores the wealth of contemporary Polish classical music, from established 20th century giants such as Penderecki, Szymanowski, Lutoslawski and Gorecki to Poland-based composers whose sound has yet to be widely disseminated in the United States, such as Andrzej Krzanowski, Krzysztof Wołek, and Aleksander Nowak . Host Sirota will also play in-concert recordings of Polish new music, from New York City as well as the Warsaw Autumn Festival and UNSOUND, both from Poland.

Jakub Ciupinski HostsMonday, January 16 and Tuesday, January 17at 7 pmEncore presentations Thursday, January 19 and Friday, January 20 at 10 amJakub Ciupinski is the Polish-born, New York-based composer who will host two hour-long shows exploring the breadth of contemporary Polish music.

An Interview with Mikolaj GóreckiA web-exclusive Q&A with Mikolaj Górecki, Texas-based composer and son of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki exploring the influence of his father, the state of contemporary Polish music and the importance of Polish culture on his own music. There will also be an on-demand playlist of his favorite music.

WQXR is New York City’s only all-classical music station, immersing listeners in the city’s rich musical life. WQXR presents new and landmark classical recordings as well as live concerts from the Metropolitan Opera, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and the New York Philharmonic, among other city venues. WQXR broadcasts essential shows such as the Metropolitan Opera Radio Saturday Matinee Broadcasts, the New York Philharmonic This Week on Thursday evenings, the McGraw-Hill Young Artists Showcase on Wednesday evenings, and Symphony Hall each weeknight. For listeners in search of the new, WQXR also operates Q2 MUSIC, a 24-hour-a-day online music station dedicated to contemporary classical composers, cross-genre adventures, and performances from New York City’s edgier venues. WQXR.org provides essential playlist info for online listening, as well as original content, host blogs, NYC cultural news, videos, and a free WQXR mobile app.